Television messaging vocal response generation

ABSTRACT

In a messaging system adapted to operate in a television environment, the invention teaches a method and apparatus for allowing a user to enter textual outgoing message, which is translated to speech by text to speech module. The speech is than delivered to a target server such as a voice mail or e-mail server, for listening by the message recipient.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to messaging systems and morespecifically to providing vocal response to messages without the need torecord respondent voice.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Television messaging has been described in documents such as WO 00/44173to the present inventor. In the same document a system that provides forrecording a respondent message was also described. The user records aresponse, which is captured and then transmitted to the originator ofthe message. The system may be used for generation, as well as forresponding to, messages. Different methods of messaging have beendescribed by Different methods of messaging have been described by thelike of U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,552 to Gaughan et al, Hsu et al in WO98/56188, by WO 00/44173 to Bartfeld—the present inventor, and byothers. WO 00/44173 has other applications pending in the US and othercountries around the world. Television based messaging is a growingtrend that offers ready access to messaging emanating from differentsources, utilizing the television wide bandwidth and ready availabilityto provide easy access to the electronic messaging domain.

Recording the user voice is not always the best approach. It requires avoice capture device, i.e. a microphone, to be placed either inproximity to the television or the set-top box, or in proximity to theuser. Placing the microphone in proximity to the TV or the set-top boxgives rise to problems of environmental noise, and users are oftenmoving around. Additionally, often the user is reluctant to record hisvoice due to privacy issues, or not wanting to disturb others.

While the internet and other digital communications means allow thedelivery of text messages, voice based messaging systems such as voicemail, allow access to the message using commonly available device suchas telephones. By eliminating the need for a data reading device, themessages become accessible remotely or to users that do not havecomputers handy.

The translation of text to speech (TXTS hereinafter) is well known inthe art. It is commonly used in such systems as banking and otherautomated response systems, as well as for use by people with speech orsite disabilities. It is mainly used to translate data from machine to auser, not from user to user, as generally ample speech transmissionmedium such a telephone, voice mail, or simply speaking at audiblerange, are abundant, readily available and well known. It is notcommonly used for messaging as data messaging is directed to dataenabled devices.

It is therefore advantageous to provide a mechanism to transform datamessages, entered via keyboards and the like, to voice for delivery tovoice enabled services. The present invention is directed to a methodand device for doing so.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its most general form, the invention comprises a text entry devicesuch as a keyboard or a keypad (e.g. a Television Remote Controlkeypad), a text capture software module, coupled to a TXTS module, andtransmission capacity of the TXTS module output to a messaging servercapable of delivering voice messages.

In one preferred embodiment, the invention operates in conjunction witha television messaging system (TMS hereinafter). The TMS is adapted todeliver messages to a subscriber TV via a set-top box. A set-top box isa terminal adapted to receive television transmissions through cable,radio transmission, satellite, data network such as DSL or ISDN, or anyother form of transmitting television information. The set-top boxdecodes the general television transmission, or the messages sent by theTMS, and presents it on the subscriber television. The user responds toa message using a text entry device such as a keyboard or a remotecontrol, coupled to the set-top box. A software text to speech module(TXTS module) in the set top box translates the text to voice. Theoutput of the TXTS may be produced as a data stream or file, or asaudible voice. The output of the TTS module is transmitted to amessaging system adapted to provide voice messaging, known hereinafteras a target messaging system, or alternatively as a voice mail system.The transmission may be directly to the target messaging system, or viaan intermediate server. While it is preferred to transmit the TTS outputas a data file, it may also be transmitted as a voice by providing atelephone connection to the voice mail system and producing speech inaudible form.

Preferably, the user is allowed to review, and more preferably to edithis message.

In another embodiment of the invention, the TXTS module resides in aserver remote to the user premises (Local Messaging Server or LMS). Insuch case, input may be provided via a keyboard, or alternatively via akeypad in communication with the server, such as a telephone or cellularphone keypad. Communications may be performed via tie set-top box, e.g.with a keyboard connected thereto. In all implementations of theinvention, an upstream network should be provided to transmit the usermessage, in text, voice, or data format, to the target messaging system.

The TXTS functionality may be divided between the set-top box and theLMS. For example keystrokes may be translated and encoded as voice, inthe set-top box, and the output transferred to the LMS for storage ordelivery to the voice mail system.

Thus in a preferred embodiment, the invention provides for a text tovoice messaging device, operating in conjunction with a televisionmessaging system, having messaging software, the system comprises aset-top box in communication with the television messaging system, andadapted to deliver a message through a television coupled thereto. Atext-receiving module executed in the set-top box, and adapted toreceive text from a user. A text to speech module coupled to said textreceiving module for transforming said text into speech, said text tospeech module adapted to produce a voice output corresponding to saidtext. A voice delivery module is coupled to the text to speech module,and adapted to deliver said output to a target messaging system capableof receiving voice messages.

The text to voice messaging device of may further comprising a textentry device to deliver user typed text to said text receiving module.

In one preferred embodiment, the output delivery module is adapted totransmit said output to the target voice messaging system in a voicedata file format. In a more preferred embodiment, the output deliverymodule is adapted to transmit said output to the target voice messagingsystem in a speech format.

Preferably, the set-top box is adapted to be coupled to an IP networkand deliver said output therethrough.

In the preferred embodiment, the target messaging system is a unifiedmessaging system.

Alternatively, the text to voice messaging server, operates inconjunction with a television messaging system for delivering messagesto a user, the server comprising a text receiving module, adapted toreceive text input from a user, and a text to speech module executed onsaid server, and coupled to said text receiving module for transformingsaid text into speech. The text to speech module adapted to produce avoice output corresponding to said text. A voice delivery module adaptedto deliver said output to a target voice messaging system is coupled tothe text to speech module.

The text to voice messaging server may be adapted to receive said textinput via an upstream network selected from a group consisting of atelevision distribution network, a telephone network, a cellularnetwork, a wireless network, a wired network, a satellite network, aterrestrial network, a DSL network, a data network or a combinationthereof.

The output delivery module may be adapted to transmit said output to thetarget voice messaging system in a voice data file format, or totransmit said output to the target voice messaging system in a speechformat.

The target messaging server may be integrated into said televisionmessaging server.

The server functionality described above may be distributed between aserver and a set top box, for example, wherein the text receiving moduleis operating on the set-top box, while the text to speech may beimplemented on the server.

The invention also describes a voice to text messaging system operatingin conjunction with a television messaging system having a televisionmessaging system, the voice to text messaging system comprising a serverlocated remotely to a user premises, said server adapted to delivermessaging to a television via a downstream network, and a set top boxcoupled to the downstream network. A text entry device in communicationswith said set top box, is provided for text entry by a user. The textentry device is coupled to a speech to text module adapted to produceoutput representative said text in speech format, and a voice deliverymodule adapted to deliver said output to a target messaging serveradapted to receive voice messages is coupled to the text to speechmodule.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a messaging methodcomprising the steps of: outputting a message to a user using atelevision, receiving a response message from a user, said responsemessage comprising text, transforming said text into an output in aspeech format, and delivering said output to a messaging server adaptedto receive voice messages.

The step of transforming can be carried out by a set-top box coupled tosaid television. The set top box may be coupled to a data network, e.g.an internet, wherein said step of delivering is performed via said datanetwork. Alternatively, step of delivering is performed by feeding saidsignals to a telephone network.

Alternatively, a server remote to said television carries out the stepof transforming.

The speech output can be in the form of a file containing datarepresenting said speech, or the output may comprise electrical signalsrepresenting said speech.

It will be clear to a person skilled in the art that the invention maybe carried out by a computer program operating on a general purpose, oreven specially adapted computer. It is therefore clear that theinvention further covers such computer, that when executed by acomputer, will cause the computer to operate substantially in accordancewith the methods described above, or adapt the computer to operatesubstantially in accordance with the systems described above. In thisinstance, the word computer program relates to the code itself, themedia on which it is carried, or its transmission. It further extends tothe compiled or un-compiled form, in the form of source code, objectcode, code intermediate sources (such as in a partially compiled form),or in any other form suitable for use in the implementation of theinvention. Computer programs may be standalone applications, softwarecomponents or plug-ins to other applications. Computer programs may beembodied on a carrier, being any entity or device capable of carryingthe computer program: for example, a storage medium such as ROM or RAM,optical recording media such as CD-ROM or magnetic recording media suchas floppy discs or hard disks. The carrier may be a transmissiblecarrier such as an electrical or optical signal conveyed by electricalor optical cable, or by radio or other means. Computer programs may beprovided for download across the Internet from a server. Computerprograms may also be embedded in an integrated circuit.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 describes a complete system of one embodiment of the presentinvention

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of modules comprising an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the invention showingin context the invention implemented by a set-top box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a local messaging server 120 is coupledto a television transmission system 122, which is in turn coupled to atelevision distribution system 140. Television distribution system, alsoreferred to as the ‘downstream network’, may be any medium adapted tocarry television transmissions, for example a cable TV network, a radioor other wireless network, a DSL network, a terrestrial or satellitebased network, and other similar media. The downstream network isadapted to deliver the signal to a set-top box 110. The set-top box maybe any terminal device adapted to receive the message and display it ona television 115 coupled thereto. In the preferred embodiment depictedin FIG. 1, the set top box is also coupled to a keyboard 130, or anyother convenient text entry device, such as a dedicated keypad.

When the user wishes to respond to a message, one option open to him/heris to type the response via the keyboard 130. A text receiving module205, preferably operated on the set-top box 110, captures the text andtransfers the text to a TXTS module 210. The TXTS module may beimplemented in software or in hardware, and may operate on the set-topbox, or on a server. In FIG. 1, the server is integrated into LMS 120,but it will apparent to those skilled in the art that more than oneserver may be deployed and the TXTS may reside on any server, preferablyremote to the user premises.

If the TXTS module operates on a server, a method of transferring thetext input is required. Such transfer occurs via an upstream network.The upstream network may comprise any convenient means capable of textdata transfer, such as by telephone 185, using an uplink in thedistribution network 140, as provided by many cable networks, a wirelessor wired network, a cellular network, or a combination thereof.

Alternatively, the keyboard or data entry device 130 may be coupled toan upstream network, bypassing the set-top box. Either the text entrydevice or the set-top box may be coupled to an upstream networkdifferent from the downstream network 140, or preferably, if thedistribution network is adapted to transfer data upstream as well asdownstream, via the distribution network 140.

The TXTS module produces an output, preferably in the form of a datafile such as a WAV file. Wav files are a popular file format thatcontains data directly translated to sound. Other formats, e.g. MP3, andsimilar voice file formats may off course be used as well. Such file istransferred to the target messaging system 125 as a data file by suchmethods as the internet 175, a PSTN, 170, or network comprising eitherLAN or wan, and other methods which are a matter of technical selection.Alternatively, the TXTS may be implemented on the LMS 125. The transferof the TXTS output to the target messaging system is accomplished by avoice delivery module 215.

In an alternative embodiment, the TXTS module output is in a voiceformat, i.e. either an electrical stream representing the speech, or ina bit stream that may be directly decoded as such. In such a case,either the TXTS 210 or the voice delivery module, are adapted to dialthe target messaging system 125, and automatically deliver the voiceoutput thereto.

The target messaging system may be integrated into the LMS or to thesame server on which the TXTS is running, or may be any other voiceenabled system, ranging from a simple answering machine, to a cellularnetwork, a unified messaging server, a voice mail server, a telephonenetwork messaging system, and the like.

Addressing information may be provided directly by an incoming message,or preferably by an addressing module 220. The addressing moduleprovides the voice delivery module 21S with the target address to whichthe message should be sent. The addressing module may extract theinformation from an incoming message, receive indication from the user,(possibly guiding the user by messages via the television messagingsystem) or obtain information form a database 225 coupled thereto. Anexample is if the e-mail, name, or similar addressing information of therecipient is known, the database may contain records containing a voicemailbox associated with the recipient.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment where the invention operates primarily withinthe set-top box 110. This embodiment shows yet another embodiment, wherean incoming message decoding module 230 is utilized to decode anincoming message and extract a reply address therefrom. Alternatively,the user may enter the address via text receiving module 205. Also notedin this embodiment is that the upstream network interface 235, may becoupled to any number of upstream networks, for delivering the TXTSoutput. By way of a non-limiting example, a PSTN, Internet, and thedistribution, or downstream network may be utilized.

Yet another method of delivering the message to the target system whenthe TXTS module resides in the set-top box is carried out by connectingthe set top box with the PSTN network. The voice signal may be delivereddirectly to the target messaging system 125 via optional telephony link185 and 190. As described above, a similar method may be employed in aserver based TXTS module and voice delivery module. Clearly, the wordtelephony network relates to any network adapted to transfer at leastvoice, such as PSTN, ISDN, etc.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to what hasbeen described hereinabove merely by way of example. While there havebeen described what are at present considered to be the preferredembodiments of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled inthe art that various other embodiments, changes, and modifications maybe made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of thisinvention and that it is, therefore, aimed to cover all such changes andmodifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention,for which letters patent is applied.

1. A text to voice messaging device, operating in conjunction with atelevision messaging system, having messaging software, the systemcomprising: a set-top box in communication with the television messagingsystem, and adapted to deliver a message through a television coupledthereto; a text receiving module executed in the set-top box, andadapted to receive text from a user; a text to speech module coupled tosaid text receiving module for transforming said text into speech, saidtext to speech module adapted to produce a voice output corresponding tosaid text; and, a voice delivery module adapted to deliver said outputto a target messaging system capable of receiving voice messages.
 2. Thetext to voice messaging device of claim 1 further comprising a textentry device to deliver user typed text to said text receiving module.3. The text to voice messaging device of claim 1 wherein said outputdelivery module is adapted to transmit said output to the target voicemessaging system in a voice data file format.
 4. The text to voicemessaging device of claim 1 further wherein said output delivery moduleis adapted to transmit said output to the target voice messaging systemin a speech format.
 5. The text to voice messaging device of claim 1wherein said set-top box is adapted to be coupled on an IP network anddeliver said output therethrough.
 6. the text to voice device whereinsaid target messaging system is a unified messaging system.
 7. A text tovoice messaging server, operating in conjunction with a televisionmessaging system for delivering messages to a user, the servercomprising: a text receiving module, adapted to receive text input froma text entry device; a text to speech module executed on said server,and coupled to said text receiving module for transforming said textinto speech, said text to speech module adapted to produce a voiceoutput corresponding to said text; and, a voice delivery module adaptedto deliver said output to a target voice messaging system.
 8. The textto voice messaging server of claim 7 further adapted to receive saidtext input via an upstream network selected from a group consisting of atelevision distribution network, a telephone network, a cellularnetwork, a wireless network, a wired network, a satellite network, aterrestrial network, a DSL network, a data network or a combinationthereof.
 9. The text to voice messaging server of claim 7 wherein saidoutput delivery module is adapted to transmit said output to the targetvoice messaging system in a voice data file format.
 10. The text tovoice messaging server of claim 7 further wherein said output deliverymodule is adapted to transmit said output to the target voice messagingsystem in a speech format.
 11. The text to speech messaging server ofclaim 7 wherein said target messaging server is integrated into saidtelevision messaging server.
 12. The text to speech messaging server ofclaim 7 adapted to communicate with a text entry device via an upstreamnetwork.
 13. The text to speech server of claim 12, wherein saidupstream network is selected from a group comprising a telephonynetwork, a cellular network, a wireless network, a televisiondistribution network, a DSL network, and ISDN network, a cabletelevision network, an internet, or a combination thereof.
 14. The textto speech server of claim 7, adapted to communicate with a text entrydevice coupled thereto via a set-top box.
 15. A voice to text messagingsystem operating in conjunction with a television messaging systemhaving a television messaging system, the voice to text messaging systemcomprising: a server located remotely to a user premises, said serveradapted to deliver messaging to a television via a downstream network; aset top box coupled to said downstream network; a text entry device incommunications with said set top box, for text entry by a user; a speechto text module adapted to produce output representative said text inspeech format; and, a voice delivery module adapted to deliver saidoutput to a target messaging server adapted to receive voice messages.16. a messaging method comprising the steps of: outputting a message toa user using a television; receive a response message from a user, saidresponse message comprising text; transforming said text into an outputin a speech format; and, delivering said output to a messaging serveradapted to receive voice messages.
 17. The method of claim 16 whereinsaid step of transforming is carried out by a set-top box coupled tosaid television.
 18. the method of claim 17 wherein said set top box iscoupled to a data network and wherein said step of delivering isperformed via said data network.
 19. The method of claim 18 wherein saiddata network is an Internet.
 20. The method of claim 16 wherein saidstep of transforming is carried out by a server remote to saidtelevision.
 21. The method of claim 16 wherein said output is in theform of a file containing data representing said speech.
 22. The methodof claim 16 wherein said output comprises electrical signalsrepresenting said speech.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein said stepof delivering is performed by feeding said signals to a telephonenetwork.
 24. A computer program that when executed by a computer, willcause the computer to operate substantially similarly to the voice totext messaging server of claim
 7. 25. A computer program that whenexecuted by a computer, will cause the computer to operate substantiallythe steps of the method of claim
 16. 26. A set-top box operating inconjunction with a television messaging system and adapted to deliver amessage through a television coupled thereto, the set-top boxcomprising: a text receiving module executed in the set-top box, coupledto a keyboard for receiving text from a user, a text to speech modulecoupled to said text receiving module for transforming said text intospeech, said text to speech module adapted to produce a voice outputcorresponding to said text; a voice delivery module adapted to deliversaid output to a target messaging system capable of receiving voicemessages; and, an upstream network interface capable of delivering saidoutput.